Airbus Helicopters Recognizes U.S. Coast Guard for Reaching 1.5 million Flight Hours in MH-65 Dolphin
Airbus Helicopters Inc. recently saluted the U.S. Coast Guard for its milestone achievement of reaching 1.5 million flight hours with the service’s fleet of MH-65 Dolphin patrol and search-and-rescue helicopters.
“This is an enormous accomplishment for the U.S. Coast Guard, and for Airbus,” said Chris Emerson, President of Airbus Helicopters Inc. “We are proud of the great work the men and women of the Coast Guard perform with these aircraft. They have saved countless lives and guarded our nation’s borders and ports. We look forward to working with the Coast Guard for years to come, supporting their missions by keeping this workhorse helicopter flying and serving the American people.”
The Coast Guard selected the Dolphin, based on the Airbus AS365 Dauphin product family, in 1979 as its new short-range recovery air-sea rescue helicopter replacing the HH-52A Sea Guard. The aircraft is certified for operation in all-weather and night operations, except icing conditions.
Airbus delivered the first Dolphin in 1984. The fleet of 100 helicopters has played a critical role for the Coast Guard, from performing lifesaving missions after Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters to executing successful rescues at sea and in high-altitude mountainous terrain.
In addition to serving at Coast Guard Air Stations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, the MH-65 is the primary aircraft used aboard sea- going cutters during deployments. The Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron in Florida also uses the helicopters for counter-narcotics missions in high-threat drug trafficking areas.
The MH-65 fleet is expected to remain in service through 2035. New engines were installed on the Dolphin fleet in 2007, which significantly enhanced the aircraft’s power and mission capabilities. The Coast Guard is expected to introduce the next configuration of the Dolphin, which will include an all-glass cockpit and advanced navigation capabilities, in 2018.
Quadrupling its business over the last four years, the company now has 40,000 square feet
workspace in its newly constructed digs compared to its previous work area of 26,000 square feet.
“Our growth is a testament to the hard work of our employees, the strong partnerships we have formed over the years, and the new ones we are creating,” said Vice President and General Manager of Summit Aviation Ralph Kunz. “Additionally, our collaboration with local investors and the Pulaski County government is proving beneficial for not only our business but also our employees and this community.”
“Summit’s expansion is a great way to celebrate 10 years of productivity and job creation in Somerset,” said U.S. Representative for Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District Hal Rogers. “I am grateful that this impressive company chose to utilize our world-class workforce to manufacture aviation products that are used by our U.S. military and others. I applaud Summit’s continued success and commitment to our region.”
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Summit
Aviation Celebrates New Manufacturing Location
Summit Aviation recently celebrated its expanding aviation parts manufacturing operations with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Summit’s Somerset operations started in 2007 as a labor-only supplier to Schweizer Aircraft, today Summit Aviation’s manufacturing facility provides full-service support to build aerostructure product assemblies for a variety of military and commercial helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Since its inception, Summit Aviation’s manufacturing workforce has grown six-fold.
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